Murder In Storybrooke
by dustybook
Summary: A maid in the French household has been murdered and its up to detective Hamish Gold and Belle to solve mystery, but there might be more to the maid's murder then they realize. Is there also romance blooming between Det. Gold and Belle? THIS IS NOT A LACEY STORY!
1. Chapter 1: The Discovery

4

 **Chapter One: The Discovery**

There was a crack that shattered the silence enough to wake half the household, and Emma Swan was first to wake. Forgetting to put on her robe, Emma scurried out of her room into the kitchen sticking out from behind the island were two slipper incased feet. She held her breath as she crept around the island to see who it was. Ella Boyd's body lay motionless, her eyes bulging in terror, and blood slowly seeping out from her chest. Covering her mouth, her eyes bulging, she screamed just as Mary Margaret appeared, black curls bobbing at the nape of her neck. As soon as she saw the body her expression mimicked her best friends. It was not long before the other residents of the household began to emerge from different directions to see what the screaming was about and were shocked to discover the dead body.

 **~Page Break~**

Emma paced the living room frantically, now in her maid's uniform after almost being caught in her night dress by her boyfriend, Neal, once, and didn't want that to happen again, while Mary Margaret sat on the couch her face buried in her hands as tried to stifle her uncontrollable sobs. Madame Cora French had snapped at her a few times for those sobs. Cora currently resided by the window smoking a cigarette and a glass of wine in her other hand. Her husband, Moe French, was busy explaining things to Officer Leroy Arenberg. Regina, her older daughter, tapped her foot on the carpet, as her eyes gazed longingly at the stables. She usually went riding at this hour, but her mother had insisted she stay for the investigation. Her step-daughter, Moe's daughter and younger than Regina, would be returning from school today and would be arriving in a few hours, though Cora had no idea why Moe let the little brat leave for school in New York. She sipped from her glass staring at her husband and the officer as they exchanged words.

"Mr. French told me what happened," Neal said, as he came rushing in from the backyard. "Is everyone okay Madame?"

"Everything is not okay," Cora snapped, "We have a dead body on our premises that we have to take care of! Shouldn't you be getting back to work?"

He rolled his eyes when her back was turned. "Yes, Madame, I just wanted to check on everyone." He glanced at Emma wanting to stay and comfort her and Mary Margaret, but he would get fired if he didn't do as 'The Queen' commanded.

"Sweetheart, this Officer Leroy Arenberg, he works for Detective Gold," Moe explained as he walked into the living room with the officer.

She approached the two gentlemen, scrunching up her nose at the smell of cigar smoke and whiskey, and placed her fingers within Officer Arenberg's offered hand."

"Don't worry ma'am we will solve this case," he promised, as he showed his yellowish teeth from the constant cigar smoking.

"Where is the detective?" she asked briskly.

"Detective Gold will be here soon, he's just a little late, and asked me to come investigate until he can arrive," Leroy assured Cora, not appreciating her briskness with him.

"Cora darling, please be patient with Officer Arenberg, he's doing his best until the detective arrives," Moe lectured his wife.

"Yes, of course, but we don't need someone who lacks experience in these kinds of cases, handling such an important matter," she replied.

"Don't worry ma'am the _experienced_ detective will be here soon. I'm just here to check things and inform of what is going on when he arrives," Leroy replied, politely, but his tone indicated irritation at the woman's skepticism at his lack of skill.

Slipping his hands in his pockets, Moe swayed back and forth on the balls of his feet caught between wanting to defend his wife and secretly sympathizing with the Officer for trying to please his demanding wife. He understood the urgency of taking care of the body of an innocent, sweet woman in their kitchen and she deserved justice for her murder, but treating the police as if they were a nuisance was uncalled for her.

"Sweetheart, I understand your frustration, but I think the officer knows what he is doing or Detective Gold wouldn't have requested Officer Arenberg to come here in his stead," Moe reminded his wife, but Cora just rolled her eyes and sipped from her glass of wine.

"Forgive my wife, Officer Arenberg, she's tired and frustrated, as we all are," Moe said, apologetically.

"Its fine sir and I promise my boss will be here soon," Leroy replied.

Moe removed his gold pocket watch with his initials engraved on the casing, a gift from Belle—his biological daughter, and pride and joy—as a birthday gift and his eyes bulged as soon as he discovered what time it was.

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry Officer Arenberg, but I have to pick up my other daughter at the train station. She just finished a spring semester at one of the women's college's," Moe explained to Leroy, beaming proudly.

"Mother, I would like to go riding if you don't mind," Regina said, briskly as she stood up to leave.

"Alright, but be back by 1:30," Cora told her daughter.

"Yes, mother," Regina said, and hurried out of the room before her mother could change her mind and summon her back.

"Enjoy your ride," Moe called after his adopted daughter, "Miss Swan I know you're distressed, but would you please show the officer where the…body was found?" Moe couldn't bring himself to address the dead woman by her Christian name anymore; it was easier to refer to her as "the body".

"Yes, of course," Emma said, as she wrapped a handkerchief around her red nose and blew into it. She liked Ella Boyd; she was sweet, just a bit of a gossip, and seeing her body was horrifying. The sight of seeing Ella's body made her sick, but she would do as her boss requested. She led Officer Arenberg into the kitchen grimacing as she heard the shrill instance from Cora that Mary Margaret should get back to work.


	2. Chapter 2: The Detective

A/N: 1920's Terms and Meanings:

Jeepers Creepers: Jesus Christ

Caper: A criminal act or robbery

Bunny: A term of endearment applied to someone lost and confused.

Dumb Dora: An absolute idiot, a dumbbell

Copacetic: Excellent; all in order

Chapter Two: The Detective

Belle French stepped off the train, clutching her suitcase, as she shielded her eyes from the unusually blinding sunlight of an early main afternoon. A porter had offered to hold her suitcase but she refused the offer. She scanned the crowd for her father, and grinned waving as she recognized her father's salt and pepper head of hair and wrinkled face from a distance. Brushing passed the rush of people, she ran to her father, who was standing by the ticket booth, other hand in his jacket pocket.

"Dad," she exclaimed when she reached him. Belle embraced her father and he swung her around like when she was a little girl. "I missed you." She kissed his cheek and smiled happily as she realized how much she missed him since she had been away at school.

"I missed you too, my girl. Now, come tell everything," Moe requested, putting his arm around her shoulder as he escorted her to the Ford. Moe decided not to tell her just yet as he was trying to formulate how to tell her the devastating news. Belle was friends with most of the servants and would take the news worse than the others.

"Everything is great. I love school," Belle began talking in rapid secession.

"You'll have to meet Rose Bolger. She would love to meet you, dad."

"Why would she want to meet an old man like me?" He asked, chuckling.

"Because I talk about how wonderful you are dad," Belle said, squeezing his arm.

Moe patted his daughter's arm in return. "You shouldn't tell silly lies to your friends about me," he said.

She could hear a subtle sadness in his tone. "Belle there's something I need to tell you," he finally said after some hesitation.

"What's wrong papa? Is someone sick?" Belle asked, frowning.

"No, worse than that, unfortunately, there's been a murder," Moe said, clutching his cap nervously with his free hand, as he tried to tell as sensitively as possible.

At first Belle was too stunned to speak as her father told her of this horrible news. "Jeepers Creepers, dad, who was it?" Her voice unsteady, Belle asked. "Who was it? Was it a caper?"

"It was Ella, but I don't know if it was caper. We did hire a private detective," Moe told his daughter trying to reassure her.

Belle took a shuddering breath. "I need a ciggy." Her hands trembled as she pulled one out of her pocket. Moe didn't like some of these new habits she picked up, but he knew she was terribly upset, so he wouldn't lecture her now.

"Ella was such a poor little bunny! She was such a good friend, how can she be gone?" Belle asked, looking at her father as if she were waiting for him to tell her Ella wasn't dead.

"Unfortunately, yes, but don't worry the police and Detective Gold will get to the bottom of this," Moe promised her and opened the door for her.

She tossed her suitcase in back seat just as she heard the popping of her father's automobile and smoke emerged from the back. "Dad, why would someone murder Ella?"

Moe said, resignedly, "Wrong place, wrong time I expect. She was a good girl, but lacked common sense."

Belle nodded as tears leaked down her cheeks and she shivered violently. She smoked her cigarette wondering why someone would want to murder Ella as she stuck her arm out the window and looked outside.

"She was a bit of a dumb Dora, but she was a sweet girl," Belle said turning to her father. "Maybe a bit of a gossip, but it has to have been wrong place, wrong time, like you."

The rest of drive was silent as Belle lost herself in her thoughts on why someone would murder Ella Boyd. When they pulled into the drive she glanced behind her at the sound of another automobile pulling up behind them. It was taxi that pulled up and a man got out.

She recognized him from his image in the paper. Detective Gold from this distance she could tell he was a broad shouldered man with a sturdy stance, despite a subtle limp that was made less challenging with the help of a cane, and his russet colored hair was smoothed back After he had taken care of the cabbie, the detective approached them with the ease of someone who was use to deal with the upper class of Maine society.

"Good afternoon sir, how may we help you?" Moe asked.

"I'm Detective Nicholas Gold and ye must be Mr. French?" Nick greeted holding out his free hand. He had a Scottish brogue that Belle would normally find attractive, but under the circumstances she wasn't interested in the handsome older detective.

"Oh yes, of course. Thank you so much for coming. This has come as quite shock to us," Moe said shaking the detective's hand vigorously. "Your colleague has been very helpful in what he was able to do for us before you came."

"Detective, I hope you find this killer soon. Ella was my friend and she didn't deserve this. If there is any way I can help bring her killer to justice, let me know," Belle said.

The look in her eyes made him want solve this case for her, not that most of his cases weren't important, but something about her gaze made him all the more determined. Arenberg once said he had a weakness for damsels in distress.

"At the moment, I just need an alibi from ye," the detective replied, smiling kindly.

"I was on the train on the way here, so I wasn't here when it happened," she said in a tone he guessed wasn't about murderous guilt, but guilt that she hadn't been here.

"Ye, probably couldn't have done anything to save her anyway," he said.

"Maybe you're right, detective, but that doesn't assuage this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach," Belle said.

Moe led his daughter and the detective into house and they found Leroy had already started the questioning with those who were calmer in demeanor. Detective Gold made a coughing sound to alert Leroy to his arrival. The maid being interviewed looked Gold up and down as if he were a nice juicy steak to be devoured, but the pointed look she received from Belle made her blush and she scurried out of the room to help Mary Margaret.

Leroy abruptly stood up, slightly startled, and stood at attention. "Sorry sir didn't hear ya come in. I was just questioning one of the residents about the victim. The witness, who saw the body, is a little distraught, and I figured I would give her some time to recover from her shock."

"Its fine, Officer Arenberg, we should get all the facts, including any information outside of what the witness saw. We also don't want the witness in a distress state when we speak with her," Detective Gold said.

"I'll go see how Emma is and if she's calm enough to give testimony on what she saw," Moe said.

"I'll go papa," Belle said touching her father's arm. Moe French was not very good with grieving people and Emma needed someone sympathetic and understanding, not someone who didn't know what to say.

Belle pushed the swinging kitchen door open and found Mary Margaret preparing drinks and sandwiches. "Miss Belle, it's good to see you home," she exclaimed seeing the young woman enter the kitchen.

"It's good to be home, though I wish I hadn't come home to such a nightmare," Belle admitted as her tears welled up again.

"I know I cannot believe it. Poor Ella, such a sweet girl; her death feels unreal and as you said a nightmare. I cannot even begin to help Emma. She was the unfortunate one who discovered her. She's trying to hide her tears, but I know her well enough that she drives herself crazy trying to hide her emotions."

Mary Margaret took a handkerchief from her apron pocket and blew her nose making the sound of a whistle.

Belle touched the maid's shoulder and said, "Mary Margaret, I swear to you I will find the bastard who did this and get justice for Ella. I have heard some good things about Detective Gold, so I have faith he'll solve this case."

"I hate to do this right now, but since she was the first witness, I need to talk to Emma. Well, the detective does," Belle said.

"Yes, of course, she's upstairs," Mary Margaret answered. "Maybe it will be good for her to talk about it with the detective."

Belle nodded and took the steps two at a time.

Mary Margaret watched as Belle took the servants stairs to the upper floors, and once her master's daughter had gone upstairs, she could not help being distracted and tearing up as she went about her chores, reluctantly.

Belle always hated how she had to go up two flights of stairs just to get to the servants quarters, but most of the rooms were upstairs. That was probably where Emma was hiding. She also hated how Mary Margaret and Emma, along with the others, had to trudge all the way up so many flights of stairs. They already worked hard enough as it was. Before her father had married Cora they only had a house with two levels, but two wasn't enough for Cora.

She found Emma dusting some of objects Cora's husband had brought back from his travels around the world. That was how he had died during one of his expeditions after being poisoned by snake venom, and a year later she met Belle's father.

"Emma?" Belle asked making the young maid jump.

"Oh, Miss Belle, you gave me the heebie jebbies," Emma said.

"Sorry didn't mean to," Belle said apologetically. "I came to check on you."

"I'm copacetic, just a little tired," Emma said, but Belle wasn't fooled.

Belle could see the circles under Emma's eyes and her flushed cheeks. With sisterly affection she rubbed Emma's arm. "It's okay to admit you're all balled up about this."

Emma tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, not looking at Belle, and continued to dust. She took a shuddering breath trying to hold in the tears that hadn't escape yet. Very rarely was she reduced to tears, but seeing her friend lying there like that had been too much.

"I've never seen anything like that Miss Belle," she said finally looking at Belle's wide blue eyes. "I'm trying real hard not to let this scare me, but she was my friend and now she's dead."

"Detective Gold will find out soon enough, who killed her, and they will pay for what they did," Belle promised. It was the only thing she could do.

"I hope so," Emma said and sighed, "I guess I should go talk to the detective."

 **~Page Break~**

As Emma and Belle walked into the living room the detective was in the kitchen with Officer Arenberg examining the body. They slipped into the living room away from the crime scene.

Nick looked over the body, writing some notes, like where the victim was shot and the image that was carved into her flesh.

"Sir, I noticed that there was evidence indicating the body might have not have been shot here, but was moved to this place. Maybe, someone is trying to frame one of the members of the family," Leroy suggested to his boss.

He pointed out the subtle hints that indicted the body might have been moved. Ella's hair had streaks in that looked like dirt particles and her feet were smudged with mud. Underneath her fingernails was also dirt mixed with blood. With gloved hands Nick examined her dress which also was faded and ratty at the bottom.

After looking over the body, Nick entered the living, and sitting down started interviewing the residents of the house starting with the servants that Leroy hadn't talked to. Most had revealed little tidbits of what they knew about Ella Boyd hinting that she could have easily gotten herself into situations that could result in someone hating her. She was considered too sweet and someone who didn't pay attention. She attracted the attention of lot of bad people. She was a bit naïve, and her attractiveness, despite being poor, attracted the attention of quite a few men, as well.

One of those men was Thomas Grayson, who originally was engaged to Drusilla Tremaine. Drusilla was not pleased that he was showing interest in Ella. It was an arranged engagement, to be fair, but it didn't matter to the Tremaine's how Thomas felt.

That meant of course that it could just as easily have been someone who wasn't a resident of the house, but connected with one of the residents. Maybe Drusilla herself or her mother had killed Ella, but why would they want to frame the French's?

Nick finally called Emma, whom he could tell was still shaken, as she sat down on the couch across from him. She smoothed her skirt brushing off the dust and looked up with a firm gaze.

"I had her….heard a noise," she said her voice still slightly shaking.

"What kind of noise, Miss Swan?" Detective Gold asked.

"It was a…." Emma closed her eyes rubbing her forehead with her fingers as she as she tried to recall exactly what she heard earlier this morning.

Neal, who used the excuse of having to use the bathroom, lingered in the kitchen listening to the detective question his girlfriend. He started to push the door open slightly preparing to walk in there if Emma needed someone to rescue her, but surprisingly the detective was a little more patient than Neal expected.

"Take your time Miss Swan," Detective Gold said, speaking to her kindly.

"It was a gunshot," she finally said. "She was shot, but there were cravings in her stomach. It was like some kind of drawing."

Emma shivered violently as she recalled the image of a dagger being dragged across Ella Boyd's flesh creating the drawing. The sight made her ill and she had had to run to bathroom immediately after seeing that this morning.

"Like this?" He held up a hastily sketched image he found on the victim's flesh.

Emma nodded. "I believe it is occult related. Do you know if Miss Boyd was a part of anything like that?" He was careful not to sound as if he were accusing Ella of anything, but he had to check every possibility.

Emma shook her head. "Not that I know of, because I doubt Ella would be clever enough for that. Unless, she got involved without meaning too and got the wrong person mad, I don't see her getting involved in an occult.

He nodded. "Is there anything else you can share with me, Ms. Swan?" Nick asked Emma.

"No, though, I wish I could be of more help," Emma said, earnestly.

"As, I told Miss French, I intend to get you justice," he said to Emma, "and I appreciate whatever you do have Miss Swan. If there is anything else you remember call my office, dearie."

Emma nodded accepting the card that he gave to each person he questioned. He also offered her his handkerchief as Emma shook and fresh tears began to slip out. She accepted his handkerchief. "Thanks, detective, but normally I don't let things get to me."

"It's understandable, dearie," Gold replied with a sad smile.

Neal entered the room, not bothering to care that he got a little mud on the carpet, and sat down taking Emma's hand gently squeezing it.

Cora pursed her lips seeing the small mud stains on the carpet as she came into the room, but she would deal with that later. Right now her attention was on the detective. She lifted her breasts a little bit higher

"Ah, detective, how is your investigation going," Cora said.

"I just finished asking Miss Swan some questions and I'll be going back to my office to go over everything," Nick told Madame French.

"I'm so glad we have such an intelligent and strong detective on the case," Cora said licking her lips as smiled at him.

Nick's cheeks turned an unnatural shade of rouge. "Yes, well it's my job, dearie," he said. He eased pass her trying to avoid eye contact with her as he walked into the foyer.

"She flirts with every man she considers attractive, so don't feel embarrassed," Belle said as she stood on the steps of the grand staircase. She must have been listening as he was questioning people, he mused.

"Isn't she married to your father?" Nick asked recalling how revealing Cora's dress had been.

"Yes, but she doesn't love him," Belle said. She crossed her arms in front of her.

He arched his brow.

"Cora married my dad, because he got rich from one of his inventions, and it got her attention," Belle said, shrugging.

"Ah," Nick said, nodding. "You don't trust her. You think she might have something to do with the victim's murder."

"I don't know, but she thought Ella was a nuisance," Belle said, shrugging. "I'm not sure if she's capable of murder, though. She wouldn't be so careless to have the body on the property. It doesn't look good for her social status."

"Thank you dearie, I'll keep in that in mind," Nick said and left.


End file.
